Improvement in finishing hats



D. WHEELER. Finishing Hats.

Patented Aug. 12,1879.

Eff/952:

ERS. PHOTO-LIYHOGRAPHER, WASl-HNGTON. D c

UNITED S ATE-s PATENT OFFICE.

DWIGHT WHEELER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN FINISHING HATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 218,465, dated August12, 1879 application filed June 28, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DWIGHT WHEELER, of Bridgeport, Fail-field county,Connecticut, have invented Improvements in Finishing Hats, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to impart a better finish to hats thanresults from ordinary modes of treatment, and to facilitate thefinishing operations.

In the drawings forming part of this specification Figure 1 is a diagramillustratingone mode of carrying out my improvement. Fig. 2 is a sideview of the machine employed; Fig. 3, a plan View.

Heretofore, in finishing felt hats on the brim it has been common toiron the brim, or to press the same between two heated surfaces, butwith very unsatisfactory results,

and many unsuccessful attempts have been made to impart to the brim thesame smooth and silky finish that is possessed by the crown.

I have found that by subjecting the brim, preferably under heat andpressure, to the action of a rapidly-moving tool covered with felt,carpet, brush, or other frictional material, a most desirable finish isimparted to the surface of the hat. Thus, if the brim of a hat carriedforward by means of feed-rolls a, is passed between a presser-block, b,and a revolving disk-like tool, A, having a facing, a, of felt, cloth,brush, &c., the face of the hat operated upon by the felt c and pressedagainst the felt by the block will in a few moments receive the smoothsilky finish desired.

Various mechanisms may be employed for carrying out this process. Onewhich I have found in practice to be efi'ective is shown in Figs. 2 and3, in which A is a table supporting a bracket, having bearings for theshafts of the conical feed-rolls a, the shaft 0 of the upper roll beingvertically adjustable, and

being driven by a belt, f, from a pulley on the lower shaft.

The disk A is mounted on a vertical shaft, 0, and is covered by a sheetof felt, c, which is stretched over the upper face of the same, and issecured by a circumferential band, g.

The presser-block b is made in the form of an iron, and is hollow toreceive a heated to the bar D, from which an arm, m, extends beneath theshaft 6, which, with the bar and iron, may therefore be elevated bymeans of the treadle, so as to permit the brim to be introducedsimultaneously between the feedrolls and between the iron and the disk.

A spring, 8, serves to depress the barD and maintain the requisitepressure of the iron upon the brim; but any other means may be adoptedfor this purpose.

The shafts are driven, by any suitable gearing,in the directionindicated by their arrows.

While a block of wood, iron, or other material may be used, I prefer toemploy a heated iron, as I thus both iron and finish the brim at thesame time. The heat, moreover, facilitates the finishing.

While the apparatus is shown as adapted for finishing the brims, thecrown may be treated in like manner by modifying the parts accordingly.

It will be understood that .the feed-rolls move at such a speed thatthere is a drag upon the hat, permitting a brushing action by thefelt-covered disk.

I claim-- 1. The mode described of finishingfelt hats, the sameconsisting in subjecting the surface to the action of a rapidly-movingtool, covered with felt or its equivalent, while pressed against thelatter, substantially as set forth.

2. The mode of finishing felt-hat bodies by subjecting the same tosimultaneous friction, heat, and pressure, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the revolving rotating felt-covered disk or tool Aand block b, adapted to be pressed toward the felt, and provided withheating appliances, as specified.

4. The combination of the rotating felt-covered disk A, adjustable blockb, and feed-rolls 0g, and devices for driving the rolls at a speed lessthan thet of the disk, for the purpose set In testimony whereof I havesigned my forth. name to this specification in the presence of 5. Thecombination of the disk A, block b, two subscribing witnesses.

feed-rolls a, tremlle H, and connecting-rod,

whereby the block and upper roll may be DWIGHT WHEELER. raised by meansof the treadle, substantially as set forth. Witnesses:

6. The blade 6, combined with the block I), GEO. STILLMAN,

for the purpose specified. 0. F. J U'DSON.

